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Chinese Director Feng Xiaogang Cements Hands and Feet in Hollywood

The "Steven Spielberg of China" becomes the first mainland filmmaker to receive the honor at a ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

China’s most successful film director, Feng Xiaogang, immortalized his hands and feet in cement at TCL Chinese Theatre on Friday, the first person from mainland China to receive the honor.

“This is a good and interesting thing," Feng told The Hollywood Reporter after the event. "It represents a reward for my hard work in making films. Being accepted in this Hollywood family, I feel it is such a recognition for my work. And of course I am here because people like my movies. If my friends come and visit Hollywood one day, they will find the prints of someone they actually know about and step over it."

Often hailed as the “the Steven Spielberg of China,” Feng is the country's highest-grossing director, with a box-office total of 2.5 billion RMB ($409 million) over his two-decade career as film director.

“Spielberg is a great film director. I admire him a lot. I feel it is such an honor to be compared with him,” said Feng, whose latest release, the historical epic Back to 1942 starring Adrian Brody and Tim Robbins is China's submition for the best foreign-language film Oscar.

This ceremony marks a historic moment not only for Feng but also for the burgeoning partnership between China and Hollywood.

“The Hollywood appreciates the potency of Chinese film market. A lot of Chinese [filmmakers] want to be introduced to the Hollywood [model]. It may be a long process but you have to start at some point,” said Feng.

He also mentioned the collaboration between the two presents a great opportunity for Chinese film industry. “The effective and innovative mechanism of Hollywood movie industry sets a good example for China. Hollywood can turn imagination into reality. You can hardly say the same for present Chinese film production,” said Feng.

Added said Yan Li, the Chairman and President of ICN TV Network: “The producers and writers in Hollywood should visit China and tell more stories about the country since there are endless inspirations for them since China has a rich history of 5,000 years.”